By By Katrina Cohen
Senior Staff Writer
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Despite the occasional privacy freak-out (see the latest debate over Facebook.com's policy changes, which were then changed back), Internet users continue to join sites that revolve around the sharing of personal information. Twitter.com, for example, allows users to create tiny blog updates with tiny word limits. The site also offers a semi-anonymous/elusive/cryptic portal – certainly not as pedestrian as MySpace or information-heavy as Facebook – for celebrities to "reach out" to their Internet-addicted fans.
Instead of wasting hours typing celebrity names into Twitter web addresses (don't pretend this doesn't happen), here's a sampling of some of the prominent famous (or moderately famous) Twitter users (insert name after twitter.com/, without the @). If nothing else, these often-strange little sites highlight the universal human urge to procrastinate:
@BarackObama: This account was mostly used to track campaign rallies, and has been pretty quiet ever since November 4…
@RainnWilson: Better known as Dwight K. Shrute, Rainn Wilson posts updates (also known as "tweets," apparently) to promote The Office, his little-known film The Rocker, and his lesser-known progressive spiritual faith in Baha'i. He also shares videos by mellow folk indie artists like Bon Iver and Blizten Trapper and provides tidbits from behind the scenes of The Office (February 4: "Office photo shoot today. Meaning? John kicks Jenna in the face again. Steve drunk. Again. Angela refusing to come out of her trailer"), and expansive insights into our modern existence (February 14: "Starbucks, the Red Lobster of coffee!").
@Michael_Phelps: Phelps proves that a way in the water and a way with words don't always go hand in hand. His Twitter Bio reminds us cheekily that "I like to Swim! :b," and a post-marijuana incident update reflects: "It's because of all of you that drives me to be #1!" Aw.
@JimmyFallon: Jimmy Fallon's stint as a host of Late Night on NBC will begin on March 2, but until then, fans can catch up with Fallon through his oddly inscrutable Twitter updates (February 17: "I haven't changed my clothes in 3 months. Sure, it doesn't help the environment, but it does, yes?"). Fallon also reveals that his first guest will be Robert DeNiro, along with other fascinating Late Night specifics (February 18: "First test show went well").
@BritneySpears: Here visitors can quickly find out everything they need to know about Spears, from the status of Brit's latest music video shoot, to the progress of her upcoming tour, to her kids' favorite movies (as of February 13th, they were Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar 2). All well and good, up until the squicky posts by a staffer named "Lauren," who tracks Britney's every move in too-vivid detail (December 23: "Britney went to Jerry's Deli last night after shopping at Target. She had a black and white milkshake with dinner.") Because what Britney really needs is more people following her around.
@AlGore: Gore manages to craft some bone-chilling updates without coming close to exceeding his word limit (February 5: "The Antarctic is warming"). He also objectively looks very handsome in his profile picture, standing out against a stark black background. Well-played, Mr. Gore.
@The_Real_Shaq: Shaquille O'Neal uses many of his posts to respond directly to everyday Twitter users. Recognizing the participatory power of the Internet, Shaq wants to meet his friends on Twitter, too: "To all twitterers, if u c me n public come say hi, we r not the same we r from twitteronia, we connect." (Is it Twitteronia or Twitterverse?)
@TinaFey: This one probably shouldn't have made the list, because, despite 62,620 followers (including Wilson), it's about 99.5% clear that this account is a Tina Fey imposter. The psychology behind pretending to be a celebrity can be debated, but whoever it is makes some believable attempts at Fey-esque food humor (November 3, 6:32 a.m.: "Is it too early for nachos?"). In a recent sarcastic interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fey (sarcastically?) said that the person behind her Twitter account was "pretty funny," but it wasn't her. The biggest hint? When the account opened, (Fake) Tina Fey spelled it "Baby Momma." Shut it down.
Copyright: The Retriever Weekly